


Solid Evidence

by Macx



Series: Denuo [39]
Category: CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
Genre: Alternate Universe, M/M, Paranormal
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-05-13
Updated: 2011-05-13
Packaged: 2017-10-19 08:39:37
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,355
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/198982
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Macx/pseuds/Macx
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Nick's home falls victim to a fire, the next logical step is to... move in with Grissom?</p>
            </blockquote>





	Solid Evidence

He stood in front of the ruins of the former private home, gazing at the curls of smoke rising from the wreckage, drifting up into the morning sky. Pastel pink, the sky was in complete disagreement with the blackened walls and drifting ash. Firefighters were clearing the fire site, looking for possible new sources of fire or smoldering ashes.  
"Mr. Stokes?"  
He turned to the speaker and discovered it was the chief of the squad that had been called. Like most of his men, his face was soot-streaked and he appeared tired.  
"Yes?" Nick asked, feeling the same tiredness.  
He had been up all night, called from the lab after a harrying day chasing the elusive clue.  
"We're done here," the chief told him. "The police's here, too. They probably want to talk to you."  
"Yeah, I know."  
His eyes drifted back to the ruin. Nothing left. Nothing at all.  
"I'm no arson specialist, but it looks like it was the wiring. I've seen enough electrical fires in my life."  
Nick nodded silently. Electrical fires. His mind went through the possibilities. No heaters had been on this time of the year, but maybe the stereo, the TV, some kitchen appliance? Or was it the wiring in the house? He would get the details later. Of course he would.  
With a sad smile he turned to the officer at the scene. He wasn't really surprised to discover it was someone he knew.  
"Hey, Nick," Carl Serrano said, smiling faintly.  
"Hey."  
"I'm sorry," Serrano started, but Nick waved it off.  
"Happened, man. Let's just file the report."  
Yes, it had happened, but it was nothing small. The whole house with everything inside had been lost. Luckily there had been no one inside or around.  
Serrano gave him a long, hard look, then nodded. They were down to business.

 

An hour later a Tahoe pulled up and Nick looked up from his study of the former townhouse to discover Conrad Ecklie walking toward him, crime scene kit in hand. Nick gave him a tired nod and a smile. Ecklie's eyes brushed over the house, then looked at him.  
"You okay?" he wanted to know.  
"Yeah, fine."  
A second dayshift CSI joined them; Dave Jennings. He shot Nick a grim smile.  
"Damn, Nick," he muttered.  
"Yeah." He was too tired to strike up a conversation. "Guess you guys got everything covered. I've got some stuff to take care of now."  
Ecklie nodded. "We'll let you know."  
And with that the two men began their work to find the cause of the fire.

* * *

He had lost everything. All had been burned to the ground. The insurance assessor had already been out to the black ruin that had once been his home and Nick had been reassured that everything would be handled quickly. He would get the money ASAP the moment the criminalistics report was in. For now, he would move into a hotel. He had to buy some clothes, too. All he had were the ones he was wearing, the ones in his locker, and those he had at Grissom's place. Everything else, all his personal stuff, was gone.  
Nick rubbed a hand over his eyes. He had slept little in the last three days. There had been a hard case, then the fire, and now he was reeling with the impact of it all. He had to find a new place. But for now, getting some sleep was his priority.  
The hotel was nothing flashy. It was functional, more like an apartment hotel anyway, and he had a small fridge and a coffee machine, which served him well. Opening the door, Nick walked inside. He stripped off his clothes and took a shower, then simply collapsed onto the bed. Sleep claimed him not much later.

* * *

Ecklie's report was brief and down to the point. No evidence of foul play had been found. The source of the fire had been the living room wall socket, which had contained some very old and brittle wires, never replaced by the former owner and Nick hadn't bothered to check each socket. Whether or not he would sue the seller Nick had yet to decide. For now he had other worries, even though Warrick had told him to go for it. The insurance company was looking into it too, probably to find a way to get their money back from a possibly responsible source. Nick was just glad to be alive. He would have to find a new place, but that shouldn't be a problem.  
He had been given a few days off work. Nick had spent that time running from bank to bank, from office to office to get replacements for lost papers, cards and whatever else he needed. He saw little of Grissom, who was busy with his cases throughout the night and slept while Nick was driving around to recover lost documents. The insurance company wanted statements, he talked to the fire department and the police, and by the end of the day he was too tired do much more than shower, eat and watch some TV before he fell asleep. Three days after the catastrophe, Grissom stood in the apartment, looking around the rented room. There was a mild, critical frown on his forehead.  
"Want coffee? Soda?" Nick offered.  
"No, thank you."  
"You could have asked me," Grissom said softly.  
Nick blinked at the sudden comment, unable to attach it to something. Were they still talking refreshments?  
"Huh?"  
"You didn't have to take a hotel room, Nick."  
Nick blinked again. It clarified the topic, but… "Gil...? I..."  
"How much time do we spend in each other's company, work excluded?"  
A lot, Stokes thought.  
"I thought..." He stopped. "I didn't want to bother you... go on your nerves. I mean, I've no other place to go to if this gets too much. So I took the room... And then there's how it looks. No one moves in with his boss!"  
Grissom walked over to him and met the dark brown eyes calmly. "You don't bother me. In the time we've been together, almost three years now, there was rarely a time I felt unwell by your closeness. I can learn, Nick, and I have." He cupped his neck and pulled him close. "As for the others… you know I don't care. It's our lives, we shape them, and if we can't, we're restricted. I never worked well with restrictions. Move in?"  
Nick's breath caught and he struggled for words. "Till I find a place," he answered, struggling with the warm feelings and the insanity of it all.  
Grissom didn't answer, just pressed their lips together in a tender gesture of affection and love.  
"As long as you need," he finally said when they separated.  
The hand remained, gliding down to lay on Nick's hips, and the lips were back, coaxing Nick's mouth open, exploring the depths. Nick carded his fingers into the short curls of his lover's hair, holding him in place. When Grissom gently pushed a leg between Nick's and the younger man pressed himself against his lover.  
"When?" Gil asked softly, nibbling at Nick's ear.  
"Just gotta pack my stuff," was the breathless answer.  
Grissom found the spot behind his partner's ear and gave it some attention, making Nick groan.  
"Forget packing," he panted and started toward the bedroom.  
"Agreed."

* * *

No one knew about the arrangement. Nick's mail was sent to a p.o. box and he was looking into apartments and houses. Apartments were soon out of the question and he concentrated on finding something small that suited his needs. Living with Grissom was no different from their former relationship, the difference being that there was no place for Nick to go to that he called his own, and that his resources were limited. Money from the insurance company was coming in and he had stocked up on clothes again.  
Coming home from another fruitless search, he found Grissom was already home and there was a smile on his lover's lips. Nick frowned.  
"Gil?"  
"You up for one more?"  
"One more what?"  
"House," was the answer.  
"You found something?"  
The smile grew more mysterious. "I think so, yes."  
Nick shrugged. "Okay. Lead on."  
Grissom was driving and Nick curiously watched the streets flashed by. They were heading to one of the nicer parts of town, not far from his old place, but farther out toward the desert. It was a quiet area with larger houses, clean streets and safe neighborhoods. Nick shot his partner a strange look. He doubted he could buy a house here. Too expensive.  
Grissom's mysterious smile was back and he drove on, leaving all the expensive homes behind them. They went off the main road and down an unpaved stretch with bushes and trees left and right. At the end of the road was a white stone building. It was set back from the street, had two tall trees up front, a double parking garage, and looked pretty nice.  
Out of his league, Nick knew.  
Grissom got out of the car and Nick followed. They were met by a tall, dark-skinned woman in a business suit who had been waiting for them next to the door. She smiled and shook Grissom's hand.  
"Erin Adam," she introduced herself to Nick. "Let's go inside."  
The tour left him speechless and he knew it was next to impossible for him to buy this house. It wasn't just out of his league, it was out of this world. Actually, it was large enough to be separated into two apartments, one on the ground level, one upstairs, with one shared kitchen. There were two bathrooms, a large terrace for the ground floor and a balcony for the upper one, a small garden that was shielded from prying eyes, and both apartments could be separated by a door.  
"What do you think?" Grissom wanted to know, giving him a curious look. It was almost as if he was asking him about a particular crime scene or piece of evidence.  
Nick hesitated and Erin smiled, nodding. "I'll leave you two to discuss this." And with that she stepped out into the garden.  
"Gil... it's nice, but... I can't afford it. It's too huge anyway," the younger CSI began.  
The smile was back and even more infuriating than before. It was close to angelic and that always spelled trouble.  
"I thought it was just large enough. For us."  
Nick's brain went into full arrest. Had he just heard what he thought he had? Had Gil...?  
"Us?" he stuttered.  
Grissom tilted his head a little. "Us," he confirmed with an unblinking innocent gaze.  
"I...uh... really?"  
He said nothing, but his eyes were bright with confirmation of the fact.  
"You want us to move in together?" Nick tried to clarify.  
"Yes."  
Nick rallied for a thought. He had never dreamed of that day. Never. He had tossed out the idea right away. Gil Grissom valued his privacy and being within each other's space 24/7 would be too much -- for both of them. They worked together, they lived together... but moving into the same house...? Grissom had been alone for too long to make such an incredible step; Nick on the other hand was used to people.  
He had a large family; Grissom was an only child.  
He was sociable; Grissom wasn't.  
He didn't mind someone else in the house; Grissom sometimes needed his space.  
"Nicky?"  
The gentle voice drew him out of his racing thoughts. He looked into familiar blue eyes. Grissom's expression was quizzical.  
"You think it would work?" Stokes just asked.  
"It's no different from before. We each have our own space, we just share the same building."  
It sounded so rational, so scientific, but it wasn't. Nick knew he was the more emotional in this relationship, the open person, the one in tune with his feelings. So why was he reeling with the offer, thinking it through instead of reacting, instead of going with his instinctive answer? Why was Grissom, who was more laid back, more logical, talking about such an insane move?  
"What about the others?"  
"They can't move in."  
Nick gave a sputter of laughter, feeling the choking knot in his throat untangle a little. "Idiot!"  
Grissom smiled. "There are ways to handle this, Nick."  
"What if it comes out? You and I having the same address and all...?"  
"We'll deal with it when it happens."  
Their eyes met. One day they would have to make the final decision, leave Las Vegas, this life, their friends, because what they were didn't allow for a normal life any more. One day...  
"I can't let you ruin your career, Gil," he whispered. "And don't say it's nothing! I know you love your job!"  
"I can still do my job somewhere else. We both can." Suddenly that angelic smile was back. "And I actually made arrangements for that day."  
"What?"  
"I called Chris Larabee, talked to a certain Orrin Travis, too. They agreed with my plans."  
Nick stared at him. "You did what?! Why? What plans?"  
"Nick, should we ever get into trouble because of our relationship, there has to be a clean solution. I found it."  
"Which is…?" Nick asked, dreading the answer.  
Grissom smiled calmly. "You'll be transferred to Salt Lake, I'm going into freelance lecturing. A clean cut. No one's going to be out on the street."  
He opened his mouth, then closed it again, shocked. He wouldn't mind a transfer. Any lab was good should he ever be branded a queer and tossed out of law enforcement. But Salt Lake? The Branch? They were a top ranking lab all on their own and they had different cases, weird cases, weird… criminalists. He almost smiled. As if he and Grissom were any more normal than Chris Larabee and his team.  
"You thought of everything, hm?" he murmured.  
Grissom's expression was serious. "We can't just play with the death scenario, Nick. There are other forces that might make us leave, both of us very much healthy and alive at the time. I've no illusions that our partnership would be tolerated here, but there is a place for us, and Chris offered to make it Salt Lake."  
Nick leaned forward and caught his lips, uncaring whether or not the broker saw them. Grissom answered the kiss and smiled.  
"Thank you, Gil," Stokes whispered. "I knew you were the brain of this outfit."  
Grissom gave him a quizzical look, eyes sparkling. "So your answer is yes?"  
"I'd love to live here with you."  
The older man did something uncharacteristic for him -- he took his lover and partner into his arms, firmly holding him against his body, then dove in for a long, deep kiss. Hands stroking Nick's back through the gray turtleneck, and he closed his eyes, falling into the loving contact. Separating, Nick reached up and caressed the graying temples, drawing a smile.  
"No housewarming party, hm?" he murmured.  
"For those who know," was the answer, startling the younger man.  
"You'd... want a party?"  
"I can always retreat upstairs."  
There was a twinkle in the blue eyes that had Nick chuckle. "Yeah, you can."  
With a last, quick kiss, they walked out into the back yard. Erin smiled at them, clearly aware that they were more than just friends or colleagues.  
"I take it you like it?" she asked.  
Nick nodded. "I do."  
"How about we go inside and I'll let you know what the seller offer?"  
"Good idea," Grissom agreed.

* * *

The house looked rather empty. So far, Nick had only bought a bed, a wardrobe, a TV set with a stereo, and a couch. There was a lot missing, mostly his books, CDs and assorted other small stuff, but at least he didn't have to sleep on a mattress on the bare ground.  
Grissom had moved some of his stuff upstairs already. His kitchen would be their shared kitchen, so nothing new had to be bought. Most of his stuff would be shared anyway. That was the beauty of it.  
A hand stroked over his naked back and he sighed with pleasure, turning to his equally naked lover. Grissom looked satisfied, sleepy, slightly mussed, in the early morning light. Nick bent over him, kissing the familiar lips, drawing the questing tongue into his mouth. Those hands stroked down his sides and held on to his waist, pulling him closer. He felt the first stirrings of his lover's arousal and smile into the hungry contact. Last night had been the 'christening of the new bed', but he had nothing against a morning repetition.  
Nick moved his hips, their groins touching, and Grissom's eyes lit up. He nibbled at his lover's exposed throat, staying at a known pleasure spot for a while, making Nick writhe slightly. Gil's hands ran over Nick's backside, squeezing the firm muscles, sliding into the crack. Things were heating up, going from slow to demanding. Nick kissed him hard, hands everywhere, stroking his partner and Grissom bucked into the hand closed around him.  
"Nick..." he breathed.  
He stilled the mouth with another bruising kiss. "Want you," he panted.  
And he wanted him now.  
Preparation was excruciating and Nick twisted underneath his lover, whose fingers massaged just the right spot. Gil didn't seem inclined to stop, just increased his moves, and Nick cried out, almost losing it. Grissom's little bites drove him crazy and he bucked more, but his lover wasn't ready to give him release. Suddenly those maddening fingers were removed and he mourned their loss even more.  
"Nick," Grissom whispered.  
Dazed eyes looked at him as the older man drew himself up, positioning himself.  
"Please," Nick begged.  
As Grissom sheathed himself in the other man, Nick groaned, pushing back, biting his lower lip in pleasure. He gasped softly, then felt the steady rhythm. He moved with it as Gil kissed his shoulder, his chest, his neck, his face. Lost in a sea of pleasure, he wanted it faster, harder, needed his lover badly.  
A cry announced Gil's release and Nick beat him by only a few seconds. He embraced the weight sinking down on him, licked and kissed at the sweaty neck, feeling heavy, sated and warm.

* * *

"Nice," Warrick commented. "Really nice."  
"Thank," Nick replied.  
Brown took a sip from his beer and his eyes strayed out onto the terrace. It was a sunny day, not a cloud in the sky, and Warrick had dropped by after a game. Nick had declined coming with him since there was so much more stuff to move, to unpack, and more.  
"So, you moved in together?"  
Nick froze a little and Warrick gave him a disarming smile.  
"Hey, fine with me, man. It's been cool so far."  
Another careful look, assessing the situation, assessing Warrick. In a way it pained the other man. Nick had to hide so much and both men showed no signs of their relationship at work, he wished Nick would trust him to keep this quiet. Warrick and Catherine knew about the relationship. They had never talked about it, but he knew that Catherine was in on it. Somehow Brown believed Greg knew, too. As for Sara… well, he couldn't really see either of the two men telling her.  
"Yeah, well, we share this place," Stokes said almost reluctantly. "Gil's apartment is upstairs."  
Warrick nodded. "Sounds good. Beats driving through traffic to get to the other's place."  
Nick nodded slowly, almost thoughtfully.  
"Nick?"  
He looked up and Warrick saw wariness in those dark brown eyes.  
"Nick, I'm fine with you and Gris. Nothing has changed. Well, Grissom has. He's more human than before." He flashed a grin.  
"Sorry, 'Rick," Stokes sighed. "It's just... I like this arrangement, never thought it might happen, but I'm kinda worried about what happens when it comes out."  
"You got a Plan B?"  
"Yeah. We know what to do then."  
Warrick nodded. "Good. So, need some help with anything? I'm game for whatever needs to be moved or unpacked," he offered.  
Nick's wide smile was back, his eyes sparkling. "You in for some shelves?"  
Warrick chuckled. "Bring it on."


End file.
